Written by: Tim Luisi
There are times when film critics are wrong. Often when looking at summer blockbusters, it seems as if they are unwilling to go into these films with a different set of expectations than they would say a drama starring Meryl Streep or a crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. Unfortunately, however, with Transfomers: Revenge of the Fallen the critics have been proven absolutely right. This film is a disaster even by director Michael Bay’s increasingly lowered standards and is perhaps the most overblown and misguided blockbuster to be released this decade.
To start off, let it be known that trying to explain the horribly jumbled plot of this tiresome narrative would be like attempting to explain every single rule of baseball to someone who has never heard of or watched the game before all in the space of a couple of minutes. All anyone needs to know by way of plot description is that the Decepticons killed in the first film are brought back to life via a remaining piece of the cube supposedly destroyed and then attempt to destroy earth and set up their leader (The Fallen) as the ruler of the universe.
That being said, this film probably doesn’t make sense to anyone other than Bay, who seems to have made a film in the attempt to live out some of his teenage fantasies (aka watching robots fight, things blow up, and Megan Fox running in slow motion). Revenge of the Fallen follows no rules or logic, lives off of coincidences and clichés to move the absurd story forward, and adds a completely new supervillain that was never mentioned in the first film, but who the audience is supposed to believe was always there and a part of the plan.
In addition to the piecemeal plot which seems to have taken something from every major blockbuster of the last twenty years (The Terminator, Star Wars, and even The Lord of the Rings) rather than establishing any ideas of its own (except for one which is so absurd that it has to be seen to be believed), is an abundance of footage that seems to be just a terrible remix of Bay’s previous efforts. Once again there are battleships sinking (Pearl Harbor), comets hurtling to earth (Armageddon), and two stereotypical African American characters (Bad Boys) fighting each other.
Probably worse than any part of the story however, was Michael Bay’s direction itself. From ridiculously long and at times incoherent fight sequences to romantic scenes that make Twilight’s Edward and Bella seem heartfelt to misjudged comedy and partial racism, Bay managed to hit every wrong note along the way.
All of these issues and inconsistencies could be forgiven if the film didn’t demand the audience to take it so seriously. Unlike the first film which was fun and lighthearted, this film attempts to be darker and even political, addressing such issues as the War in Iraq and the meaning of life, which are areas that should never have been seen in a film featuring giant robots tackling each other and directed by Michael Bay.
While it is true that this film is one gigantic mess on par with Spiderman 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End there were still some bright spots along the way.
For instance, while most of the ensemble such as Megan Fox and Josh Duhamel turned in uninspired performances, there were at least three that attempted to put some life into their two dimensional roles. Shia Labeouf in the lead was charming as always, and even though it would be difficult for any actor to make his character work in this film, he manages to nearly pull it off. But, the two best performances in the film clearly belong to Julie White (Shia Labeouf’s mother in the film) and John Tuturro (the government agent from Sector 7 who has since become unemployed), who both obviously realized what this film should have been, and completely camped it up, which made any scene involving one of them extremely enjoyable.
In addition to the three performances mentioned above, the technical elements of this film were impressive including visual effects that improved on the already stunning effects of the first film, a great if at times too loud sound design, and engaging camera work. The musical score, mostly the same as the first film, also works for the most part, although it should have been erased from certain scenes for greater impact, as at times it drowned out things happening in the film.
But, none of the good things that happened in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen could possibly make up for everything that was wrong with it. Like all too many sequels today it tried to do more at the expense of the original’s charm. This is one of the worst blockbusters released recently, and is certainly Michael Bay’s most cringe-worthy effort to date. While Bay obviously loves explosions, this is one dud that never completely got off of the ground.
Rating: 3/10
There are times when film critics are wrong. Often when looking at summer blockbusters, it seems as if they are unwilling to go into these films with a different set of expectations than they would say a drama starring Meryl Streep or a crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. Unfortunately, however, with Transfomers: Revenge of the Fallen the critics have been proven absolutely right. This film is a disaster even by director Michael Bay’s increasingly lowered standards and is perhaps the most overblown and misguided blockbuster to be released this decade.
To start off, let it be known that trying to explain the horribly jumbled plot of this tiresome narrative would be like attempting to explain every single rule of baseball to someone who has never heard of or watched the game before all in the space of a couple of minutes. All anyone needs to know by way of plot description is that the Decepticons killed in the first film are brought back to life via a remaining piece of the cube supposedly destroyed and then attempt to destroy earth and set up their leader (The Fallen) as the ruler of the universe.
That being said, this film probably doesn’t make sense to anyone other than Bay, who seems to have made a film in the attempt to live out some of his teenage fantasies (aka watching robots fight, things blow up, and Megan Fox running in slow motion). Revenge of the Fallen follows no rules or logic, lives off of coincidences and clichés to move the absurd story forward, and adds a completely new supervillain that was never mentioned in the first film, but who the audience is supposed to believe was always there and a part of the plan.
In addition to the piecemeal plot which seems to have taken something from every major blockbuster of the last twenty years (The Terminator, Star Wars, and even The Lord of the Rings) rather than establishing any ideas of its own (except for one which is so absurd that it has to be seen to be believed), is an abundance of footage that seems to be just a terrible remix of Bay’s previous efforts. Once again there are battleships sinking (Pearl Harbor), comets hurtling to earth (Armageddon), and two stereotypical African American characters (Bad Boys) fighting each other.
Probably worse than any part of the story however, was Michael Bay’s direction itself. From ridiculously long and at times incoherent fight sequences to romantic scenes that make Twilight’s Edward and Bella seem heartfelt to misjudged comedy and partial racism, Bay managed to hit every wrong note along the way.
All of these issues and inconsistencies could be forgiven if the film didn’t demand the audience to take it so seriously. Unlike the first film which was fun and lighthearted, this film attempts to be darker and even political, addressing such issues as the War in Iraq and the meaning of life, which are areas that should never have been seen in a film featuring giant robots tackling each other and directed by Michael Bay.
While it is true that this film is one gigantic mess on par with Spiderman 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End there were still some bright spots along the way.
For instance, while most of the ensemble such as Megan Fox and Josh Duhamel turned in uninspired performances, there were at least three that attempted to put some life into their two dimensional roles. Shia Labeouf in the lead was charming as always, and even though it would be difficult for any actor to make his character work in this film, he manages to nearly pull it off. But, the two best performances in the film clearly belong to Julie White (Shia Labeouf’s mother in the film) and John Tuturro (the government agent from Sector 7 who has since become unemployed), who both obviously realized what this film should have been, and completely camped it up, which made any scene involving one of them extremely enjoyable.
In addition to the three performances mentioned above, the technical elements of this film were impressive including visual effects that improved on the already stunning effects of the first film, a great if at times too loud sound design, and engaging camera work. The musical score, mostly the same as the first film, also works for the most part, although it should have been erased from certain scenes for greater impact, as at times it drowned out things happening in the film.
But, none of the good things that happened in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen could possibly make up for everything that was wrong with it. Like all too many sequels today it tried to do more at the expense of the original’s charm. This is one of the worst blockbusters released recently, and is certainly Michael Bay’s most cringe-worthy effort to date. While Bay obviously loves explosions, this is one dud that never completely got off of the ground.
Rating: 3/10
Written by: Corey Wackel
“Cinema should make you forget you are sitting in a theater.” Director Roman Polanski’s quote couldn’t be truer, and summer blockbusters should strive to achieve this. Just earlier this summer, Pixar delivered the brilliant film “Up,” a film which easily used its majestic brilliance to transport the audience out of the theater for a few hours. Unfortunately, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” cannot lay claim to this ability. Instead, what director Michael Bay delivers is a sloppy, altogether terrible summer film: one which possesses no noticeable redeeming quality.
If you’re trying to find a plot in the new “Transformers” movie there’s none to be found. Bay surely wants us to think so, and if there is indeed one it’s buried underneath everything else. Roughly, though, the Decepticons are attempting to bring back an old evil to rule the universe. With no imagination at all, that leader’s name is The Fallen. So wait…Megatron never was the ultimate baddy of the Transformers franchise? And The Fallen was supposedly around this whole time? I’m confused already and that’s not even the beginning of it all. The Decepticons are bent on capturing the last piece of the Allpsark, using it to revive Megatron. All of this brings Sam back into the fight and with him a small group of humans and a select few Autobots. Symbols seen by Sam drive them forward, and we’re supposed to find that all this was planned for in advance. A stretch, but we’ll take it. Their journey, ending in Egypt, is too drawn out, though, and too ridiculous.
That brings me to the length of the film. Usually I don’t complain too much about the running time of a film, but when you spend the last hour or so looking at your watch, it’s a problem. It’s true the first Transformers was just about as long as this one, but, unfortunately, the new one doesn’t have the material to fill it’s nearly 2 ½ hour running time. In an attempt to fill the entire length, the film makes the mistake of drawing in concepts that are too big for its own good. If they’re going to make a film about robots coming to life, you can’t expect to talk about heavy moral issues. One dream sequence, witnessed by Sam, suggests that the Transformers are perhaps more spiritual than any of us knew. It’s here where “Revenge of the Fallen” falters the most. The first Transformers flick largely worked because it was great summer movie fare that never took itself, or its characters, to seriously. That’s all clearly lost, as “Revenge of the Fallen” even does wrong by trying to figure in a couple political references.
I personally don’t know whether to blame the failure of this film on director Michael Bay or on the team of screenwriters behind it. To be fair, though, I’ll actually blame both. It's a shame, because Bay has shown some talent in earlier films like "The Island," which I actually enjoyed. Let's also not forget that I was actually surprised at how he crafted the first Transformers film. Here, though, Bay again shows us why he often shows signs of being one of the worst directors working today, somehow managing to cram highlights from his previous films into this one new one. One scene of a sinking ship seems to be a deleted scene from Bay’s own disaster of a movie (no not disaster movie) “Pearl Harbor.” The inclusion of two twin robots also makes the audience question whether Transformers carries racial undertones. Then again, I guess one can’t do much with a film that is written to include the word “pussy” on a regular basis in an attempt to appeal to moviegoers. Word of advice: it isn’t funny and it doesn’t appeal to anyone. Not to mention, Bay again shows how good he is at objectifying women, throwing the word “bitch” around more than anybody ever should. It’s safe to say, though, that the combination of the awful script and Bay’s own direction caused this film to be as disastrous as it was.
There are a few glimmers of hope, including good turns from John Turturro and Julie White as Sam’s mom. Both give good performances considering everything else around them. Shia is also just fine. You can’t really expect a whole lot, and I think he does okay. Bay’s one dimensional women characters are troubling though, and Megan Fox is pretty much useless. She’s a gorgeous women; there’s no question about that, but you can only have so many slow motion shots in one movie. I would like to believe that Fox is capable of some good performances, but I would suggest that she stay far away from Michael Bay.
The special effects are obviously flawless, but that doesn’t really help the film. Afterall, we expect special effects on this level. What worked in the first film, though, largely gets bogged down with everything else going on. This time around, it’s all a little too over the top and a little too noisy. Bay’s love of explosions is distracting and it draws us away from the phenomenal effects work of Industrial Light and Magic.
All in all, there isn’t much to say about this film. It’s a mess of a movie, and it possesses no quality that even comes close to making it an enjoyable summer movie. I understand that movies during the summer are supposed to be fun, and my critiques of such films released during this time period are a little more flexible. Michael Bay, however, shows us with “Revenge of the Fallen” just how low his standards are. Not to mention, this new "Transformers" seems to be an insult to any moviegoer.
Final Comment: “Revenge of the Fallen” is a sloppy, disastrous effort, and at 2 ½ hours it proves to be anything but a great summer film.
Rating: 3/10
“Cinema should make you forget you are sitting in a theater.” Director Roman Polanski’s quote couldn’t be truer, and summer blockbusters should strive to achieve this. Just earlier this summer, Pixar delivered the brilliant film “Up,” a film which easily used its majestic brilliance to transport the audience out of the theater for a few hours. Unfortunately, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” cannot lay claim to this ability. Instead, what director Michael Bay delivers is a sloppy, altogether terrible summer film: one which possesses no noticeable redeeming quality.
If you’re trying to find a plot in the new “Transformers” movie there’s none to be found. Bay surely wants us to think so, and if there is indeed one it’s buried underneath everything else. Roughly, though, the Decepticons are attempting to bring back an old evil to rule the universe. With no imagination at all, that leader’s name is The Fallen. So wait…Megatron never was the ultimate baddy of the Transformers franchise? And The Fallen was supposedly around this whole time? I’m confused already and that’s not even the beginning of it all. The Decepticons are bent on capturing the last piece of the Allpsark, using it to revive Megatron. All of this brings Sam back into the fight and with him a small group of humans and a select few Autobots. Symbols seen by Sam drive them forward, and we’re supposed to find that all this was planned for in advance. A stretch, but we’ll take it. Their journey, ending in Egypt, is too drawn out, though, and too ridiculous.
That brings me to the length of the film. Usually I don’t complain too much about the running time of a film, but when you spend the last hour or so looking at your watch, it’s a problem. It’s true the first Transformers was just about as long as this one, but, unfortunately, the new one doesn’t have the material to fill it’s nearly 2 ½ hour running time. In an attempt to fill the entire length, the film makes the mistake of drawing in concepts that are too big for its own good. If they’re going to make a film about robots coming to life, you can’t expect to talk about heavy moral issues. One dream sequence, witnessed by Sam, suggests that the Transformers are perhaps more spiritual than any of us knew. It’s here where “Revenge of the Fallen” falters the most. The first Transformers flick largely worked because it was great summer movie fare that never took itself, or its characters, to seriously. That’s all clearly lost, as “Revenge of the Fallen” even does wrong by trying to figure in a couple political references.
I personally don’t know whether to blame the failure of this film on director Michael Bay or on the team of screenwriters behind it. To be fair, though, I’ll actually blame both. It's a shame, because Bay has shown some talent in earlier films like "The Island," which I actually enjoyed. Let's also not forget that I was actually surprised at how he crafted the first Transformers film. Here, though, Bay again shows us why he often shows signs of being one of the worst directors working today, somehow managing to cram highlights from his previous films into this one new one. One scene of a sinking ship seems to be a deleted scene from Bay’s own disaster of a movie (no not disaster movie) “Pearl Harbor.” The inclusion of two twin robots also makes the audience question whether Transformers carries racial undertones. Then again, I guess one can’t do much with a film that is written to include the word “pussy” on a regular basis in an attempt to appeal to moviegoers. Word of advice: it isn’t funny and it doesn’t appeal to anyone. Not to mention, Bay again shows how good he is at objectifying women, throwing the word “bitch” around more than anybody ever should. It’s safe to say, though, that the combination of the awful script and Bay’s own direction caused this film to be as disastrous as it was.
There are a few glimmers of hope, including good turns from John Turturro and Julie White as Sam’s mom. Both give good performances considering everything else around them. Shia is also just fine. You can’t really expect a whole lot, and I think he does okay. Bay’s one dimensional women characters are troubling though, and Megan Fox is pretty much useless. She’s a gorgeous women; there’s no question about that, but you can only have so many slow motion shots in one movie. I would like to believe that Fox is capable of some good performances, but I would suggest that she stay far away from Michael Bay.
The special effects are obviously flawless, but that doesn’t really help the film. Afterall, we expect special effects on this level. What worked in the first film, though, largely gets bogged down with everything else going on. This time around, it’s all a little too over the top and a little too noisy. Bay’s love of explosions is distracting and it draws us away from the phenomenal effects work of Industrial Light and Magic.
All in all, there isn’t much to say about this film. It’s a mess of a movie, and it possesses no quality that even comes close to making it an enjoyable summer movie. I understand that movies during the summer are supposed to be fun, and my critiques of such films released during this time period are a little more flexible. Michael Bay, however, shows us with “Revenge of the Fallen” just how low his standards are. Not to mention, this new "Transformers" seems to be an insult to any moviegoer.
Final Comment: “Revenge of the Fallen” is a sloppy, disastrous effort, and at 2 ½ hours it proves to be anything but a great summer film.
Rating: 3/10